Hawaiʻi Police Department
Area II Criminal Investigations Division
Captain Reed K. Mahuna
Phone: 326-4646, ext. 263
Report No. 19-066256
Media Release
Hawaiʻi Police have arrested a Kailua-Kona man following a crime spree that encompassed both East and West Hawaiʻi.
South Hilo patrol officers responded this morning to an 8:19 a.m call of a possibly mentally unstable male at a hotel on Banyan Drive in Hilo. The reporting party stated that the male may be armed with a firearm and was operating a dark colored Honda SUV. Officers, after initially not being able to locate the male party, located him just after 9:20 a.m. in the area of the hotel on Banyan Drive.
The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, and police did not continue to pursue the vehicle out of concern for public safety. A short time later police responded to a call of a traffic accident with the same suspect vehicle and a dark colored Toyota truck at the intersection of Komohana Street and West Kawailani Street in Hilo. The driver of the Toyota truck was not injured in the accident.
At about 10:50 a.m. Kaʻū Patrol officers received a call reporting a male party in his mid to late 20’s, with no shirt and numerous tattoos walking on the side of the road just south of the Naʻalehu Police Station carrying a firearm. This description matched that of the earlier call of a possible mentally unstable male party from Hilo.
At about 10:52 a.m. Kaʻū Patrol officers responded to a report of a State of Hawaiʻi truck that was stolen from the State Highways base yard in Kaʻū. The State truck was driven through several gates before heading out of the base yard. The dark colored Honda SUV wanted in the earlier traffic crash with the mentally unstable male call from Hilo was also located in the Kaʻū State Highways base yard.
At about 11:25 a.m., the stolen State truck side swiped a dark colored Ford sedan headed North on Highway 11. The driver of the State truck also points a firearm at the driver of the Ford sedan before leaving the area northbound on Highway 11. The driver of the Ford sedan is not injured.
At about 11:36 a.m. the same suspect reportedly robs a gas station at gunpoint near the 110-mile-marker on Route 11. He then leaves with an undisclosed amount of currency. No one is injured in the robbery.
At about 12:01 p.m. the stolen State vehicle is located by police in the area of Ahulani Street in Kailua-Kona. The suspect then fires a firearm out of the window of the vehicle and flees the area. No one is injured in this shooting.
At about 12:13 p.m. the suspect in this case heads to a retail establishment on Makala Street in Kailua-Kona where he attempts to enter the locked front door. He then fires a round into the store shattering the locked glass door. Once inside the store the suspect removes several items and flees the area. No one is hurt in this robbery.
At about 12:18 p.m. the suspect reportedly strikes several vehicles at the intersection of Kuakini Highway and Hualalani Road.
At about 12:24 p.m. the suspect in this case reportedly attempts to steal a car at gunpoint from a female party at a gas station on Lako Street in Kailua-Kona. He is unsuccessful in his attempt but is subsequently able to steal another vehicle, a dark colored SUV, at gunpoint from a another female victim at the same gas station. No one is harmed in this vehicle theft.
Shortly after stealing this SUV the suspect heads to a residence on Kalamauka Street and barricades himself within the residence. Police locate him on Kalamauka Street and the Hawaiʻi Police Special Response Team is activated and respond to the scene. At 1:39 p.m. the suspect is arrested by members of the police tactical team. No one is hurt during the incident and arrest.
The suspect has been identified as 38-year-old Joshua Hams of Kailua-Kona. He has been arrested for multiple felony offenses at this time, although has not yet been charged.
In responding to this incident not all the reports were coming in the order they occurred and there were delays from the time of occurrence to the time reported to central dispatch. The above media release represents a preliminary timeline gathered after the suspects arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Area II Criminal Investigations Division and police ask that anyone with information call Detective Pernell Hanoa at (808) 326-4646, ext.281, or via e-mail at pernell.hanoa@hawaiicounty.gov.
